Creative Professionals

Photographer Creates Single-Image Art Photography Wallcoverings

In late 2014, celebrity photographer and designer Don Flood launched his first collection of FLIEPAPER art photography wallcoverings produced by Astek Wallcoverings. He followed that with the Palm Springs collection earlier this year.

Graphic and sophisticated, each FLIEPAPER art photography wallcovering is symphony of color, texture, and design with an emphasis on scale. Designs range from immense florals and bold textures to quirky, unexpected found objects. FLIEPAPER designs are digitally printed using an eco-friendly process and can be customized in color and design.

FLIEPAPER by Don Flood (www.fliepaper.com)
FLIEPAPER by Don Flood (www.fliepaper.com)

Flood’s FLIEPAPER designs have appeared in environments as varied as a high-end café in Santa Monica to a private elevator in a Redondo Beach luxury home.

Quartz art wallcovering
FLIEPAPER by Don Flood (www.fliepaper.com)

At the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in May, Flood introduced his newest line of art photography wallcoverings called BIGS. Images in the BIGS collection include amethysts, minerals, crystals, sea coral, abalone, roses, sunflowers and butterflies.

FLIEPAPER art wallcovering
Crystal is part of the new BIGS collection of FLIEPAPER (www.fliepaper.com)

Inspired by the single-image wallcoverings of 1960s and 1970s interiors, Flood devised a proprietary process for shooting each subject in ultra-high-resolution and at very close range. He then had the images printed on a variety of new digitally printable wallcovering materials, including mylar. The results lend themselves to nearly any interior application from residential living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms to commercial environments such as restaurants, office lobbies, and hotel public areas.

art wallcovering
This close-up photo of coral is part of the BIGS collection of FLIEPAPER. (www.fliepaper.com)

“We are very excited by what Don has created in BIGS,” said Aaron Kirsch, founder and CEO of Astek. “FLIEPAPER has proven popular with retail customers, interior designers, art directors and architects. It combines highly artistic, high-resolution images of beautiful things combined with the practical applications allowed by the material itself. We love partnering with Don, and we think BIGS will prove highly successful with both the residential and commercial marketplace.”

“When single image installations were in vogue some decades ago, the subject matter was usually a sunset or treescape, and the resolution was incredibly low,” notes Flood. “Inspired by an interiors shot I came across from the late ‘60s, I began to experiment with various images at extremely high resolution. Given the printing technology and materials available to us today, BIGS became a reality very quickly. I am excited to show how beautifully a high-resolution, single-image wallcovering transforms a space.”

art wallcovering of butterfly wing
This extreme close-up of a butterfly wing can be produced as an art wallcovering through FLIEPAPER (www.fliepaper.com)

3D Color Printing Is Simplified with Stratasys Creative Colors Software

DESIGNERS. Stratasys Ltd. is taking color 3D printing to a new level of realism and accessibility with the release of Stratasys Creative Colors Software, powered by the Adobe 3D Color Print Engine.

Available for use with Stratasys’ Objet Connex3 3D Printing solutions, the Creative Colors Software combines advanced color management with a direct design-to-3D print workflow. Stratasys and Adobe are both working to make 3D printing easier to use while increasing creativity.

Stratasys Creative Colors Software

Because Objet Connex 3 printers can combine a range of materials in every print job, designers can use the printers to make realistic prototypes that don’t require extra assembly and post-processing.

By forming a direct bridge between Adobe Photoshop CC and Objet Connex3, Creative Colors Software enables designers to 3D print their most imaginative creations without cumbersome 3D printing workflows.

1_Typical_3D_Printing_Workflow

2_Streamlined_Design_to_3D_Print_WorkflowStratasys Creative Colors empowers designers to use enhanced color tools such as vibrant gradient color palettes with expanded color spectrums, improved textures and patterns support, and time-saving color previews.

By incorporating multiple gradient colors, patterns, and textures, a model produced on the Objet Connex3 can have the same look and feel as the final intended product, vastly reducing product development times while increasing product quality.

3D color printing speaker model
Speaker model designed with Stratsys Creative Color Software

One company that has tried the Stratasys Creative Colors software is Saflio, a world leader in high-end and luxury eyewear.

“Safilo has recently improved its prototype development process thanks to the adoption of Stratasys Creative Colors Software,” said Vladimiro Baldin, Chief Product Design and Creation Officer at Safilo. “The ability to print prototypes with the same color and texture as the finished product, has significantly increased our speed in developing new eyeglass frames. Now, we can push the creative boundaries even further, quickly responding to market trends and reducing our prototyping cycle from three days to just three hours.”

Making Design for 3D Printing More Accessible

“Partnering with Adobe, a world leader in creative software products, aligns with Stratasys’ vision to make the color 3D printing experience as simple, powerful and rewarding as possible,” said Dan Yalon, EVP Business Development, Strategy and Vertical Solutions, Stratasys.

Stratasys has also introduced a new direct color workflow from Photoshop CC to the Stratasys Direct Manufacturing parts-on-demand service. Photoshop CC users can send colorful 3D files directly to Stratasys Direct Manufacturing for Objet Connex3 3D printing.

Features such as direct quoting, validation and previewing can help ensure that the printed design won’t exceed your budget.

“Adobe Photoshop CC users can now directly access Stratasys Objet Connex3 3D printers – whether locally or through Stratasys Direct Manufacturing – and easily produce their designs with gorgeous gradient color and fine details,” said Adil Munshi, VP and GM, Print and Publishing Business Unit, Adobe. “The combination of Adobe’s unmatched color expertise with Stratasys’ multi-color, multi-material 3D printing is a true game-changer for the creative design industry,”

Stratasys Creative Colors is now bundled with all new Objet Connex3 3D Printers and can also be purchased for existing Objet Connex3 systems.

 

Improving Collaboration with In-House Creative Teams

Each year, The Creative Group staffing agency teams up with AIGA, the professional association for design, to find out what trends will impact creative teams in the coming years. This year, they surveyed more than 800 in-house design professionals and creative veterans from leading organizations to uncover some of the challenges that affect in-house creative teams. One area of questioning focused on the challenges of collaborating with colleagues from other departments.

Issues Affecting Collaboration

When in-house creative professionals were asked to share the biggest challenge when collaborating with colleagues in other departments, here are some their responses: “Lack of understanding of what we do and our processes.”

“Getting others to think of us as strategic partners versus pixel pushers who merely make things look good.”

“Communicating with teams composed of technical and nontechnical people.”

“Identifying the right decision makers for projects.”

“Delays in feedback and approvals.”

“Finding time to discuss plans and come up with meaningful solutions at the outset of an initiative.”

“Managing deadline and budget expectations.”

Fostering a Collaborative Corporate Culture

“Most work today requires cross-departmental collaboration, and creative teams need to take an active role in working through challenges like bridging communication gaps and juggling competing priorities,” said Diane Domeyer, executive director of The Creative Group. “Managers should set the stage for successful group interactions, but employees at all levels can take steps to break down organizational silos.”

While many barriers to effective teamwork exist, companies are making strides in developing more collaborative cultures.

  • Twenty-eight percent of in-house creative professionals surveyed said they are tapped for input at the initial stages of a project all the time.
  • In the next two years, 31 percent of respondents expect they will always be involved in kickoffs and interact more frequently with cross-departmental peers.
  • During the next 12 months, 48 percent of in-house professionals anticipate collaborating more frequently with public relations/corporate communications departments. Another 36 percent foresee closer partnering with information technology groups.

To help organizations foster greater teamwork, The Creative Group and AIGA have published a new report, “Collaboration in the Workplace: How to Overcome 7 Common Challenges.”

CollaborationintheWorkplace

The report, available at creativegroup.com/ctf, provides tips from creative leaders on building stronger and more efficient cross-departmental relationships.

About The Creative Group

The Creative Group (TCG) specializes in placing a range of highly skilled interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals with a variety of firms on a project, contract-to-hire and full-time basis.

About AIGA

Founded in 1914, AIGA remains the oldest and largest professional membership organization for design. AIGA defines global standards and ethical practices, guides design education, inspires designers and the public, enhances professional development, and makes powerful tools and resources accessible to all.

TCG GRAPH Collaboration Infographic

 

Visual Arts Groups Propose Copyright Small Claims System

Copyright SymbolSeven visual arts associations have submitted a proposal to Congress that outlines key components of potential copyright small claims legislation. Establishing a small claims process would enable visual artists to seek relief for relatively modest copyright infringement claims.

It would also help maintain respect for copyright laws and protect the livelihoods of creators who earn significant income from licensing their images. When infringers use a creator’s images without authorization, the creator’s revenues can suffer.

The proposal (which can be viewed here in a summary white paper) is a collaboration between American Photographic Artists (APA), American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP), Digital Media Licensing Association (DMLA), Graphic Artists Guild (GAG), National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) and Professional Photographers of America (PPA). Together, these associations represent the interests of hundreds of thousands of photographers, photojournalists, videographers, illustrators, graphic designers, artists, and their licensing representatives.

The proposal advocates for the creation of a small claims tribunal within the U.S. Copyright Office. The basic framework for small claims legislation is in large part consistent with the legislative recommendations set out in the “Copyright Small Claims” report released in late 2013 by the U.S. Copyright Office.

The proposal asserts that the cost and burden of pursuing copyright infringement lawsuits in federal district courts is prohibitive. According to the white paper, the cost of bringing an infringement case is far beyond the reach of most visual artists and the time and energy invested in a single case can be overwhelming to creators whose sole source of income is their ability to market their work.

All too often, visual artists are left with no effective way to vindicate their rights. The visual arts associations believe a small claims process within the Copyright Office would provide a fair, cost-effective and streamlined venue in which creators could seek relief for relatively modest copyright infringement claims. The system could also combat public perceptions that creative works posted online are free for the taking and the copyright laws are more effective in protecting the interests of big content providers than those of individuals or small businesses.

“The harsh reality is that the vast majority of creators in America are currently excluded from copyright protection,” said David Trust, CEO of Professional Photographers of America. He believes a small claims process would level the playing field for small creators.

For more information, please contact Professional Photographers of America at 800-786-6277 or copyrightdefense(at)ppa(dot)com.

Visual Design Pros Will Find Inspiration at HOW Design Live

Visual design professionals must keep pace with the multitude of changes in technologies, trends, and ideas that are affecting how we work, shop, and live. Because employers and clients expect designers to continually deliver fresh ideas and solutions, the HOW Design Live Conference for visual design professionals has updated the scope and content of its educational programs.

The 2016 HOW Design Live Conference is scheduled for May 19-23 at the Georgia World Conference Center in Atlanta. The conference program will bring together creators from design, art, culture, tech, and business to share their stories and accomplishments.

HOW Design Live Logo

“How Design Live is a once-in-a-lifetime gathering of inspiring speakers — an unbelievable line-up of luminaries,” said Gary Lynch, HOW Design Group Show Director. “Many have referred to the event as the TED of the design and creative community. It’s the best platform for professionals to gather an incredible amount of design inspiration and creative wisdom ”

Six program tracks enable creatives to discover new ways of thinking about their careers and insights into how design influences business strategies. The six program tracks include:

  • Design and Creativity
  • In-house Management
  • Vision and Leadership
  • Branding and Packaging
  • The Creative Entrepreneur
  • Interactive Design
  • Tools and Resources

Some presentations will give you a glimpse into technologies that can affect your work

Sci-Fi Meets Reality: The Future of Design
In a mind-bending keynote presentation, futurist Amy Webb will show how technology and design will soon begin to intersect in weird and wonderful ways. She will explain how algorithms are being used to design products, communities, and experiences. Webb will challenge designers to think hard about what to do now to prepare.

Other technology-related sessions will cover real-time data-driven design, designing for 3D, design challenges for a global audience, cinematic techniques for user-experience design, principles of motion design, and tools for taming the workflow beast.

Some sessions address the fact that many creative professionals want to do side projects that will may lead to new business opportunities or personal fulfillment.

Excuses Holding Entrepreneurs Back
Mona Patel, author of the bestselling book “Reframe: Shift the Way You Work, Innovate and Think,” will talk about four “excuse personas” that cause people to hesitate from pursuing ideas for new businesses.

Just Shoot It: Photos and Videos for Personal and Professional Creative Projects
In this 2-hour, hands-on workshop, designer and author Jim Krause will show how to use your designer’s eye and creative brain to come up with compelling images. Whether you use a pocket digital camera, a DSLR, or a smartphone camera, you can create images that look good enough for professional assignments or personal projects.

Licensing Know-How: Creative New Revenue Streams from Art + Design
The licensing industry generates $158.8 billion a year in worldwide retail sales. In this class, J’net Smith will detail how licensing works and  provide tips for recognizing  potential opportunities to license your art and designs in the marketplace.

Ignite Your Passion Project: A Side-Gig Seminar and Connecting Event
If there’s something you’re burning to create, but feel stuck in getting it started, this evening event might fire up your motivation Conference attendees and presenters will talk about how they have fostered successful side gigs, fulfilled their creative urges, and launched new businesses.

A full list of speakers and sessions can be found at www.howdesignlive.com. Early-bird registration rates are available until April 1, 2016

New Crowdfunding Site for Indie Authors

BookFuel, a company that provides professional self-publishing services to aspiring authors, has launched FundMyBook.com. The author-friendly crowdfunding site can help authors raise funds for self-publishing services through sponsorships and support from family and friends.

FundMyBook.com provides a viable option to writers who may have been intimidated by the expense of self-publishing or the amount of effort required by other crowdfunding sites.

Authors participating in FundMyBook.com should have a goal of raising a minimum at of $5,000. This amount not only covers the cost of self-publishing their book through BookFuel, but also the delivery of the printed books to people who backed the project.

FundMyBook

BookFuel will also help promote the book through their own social media channels.– something other crowdfund sites don’t offer.

“This is giving authors who want to professionally self-publish their material another option they didn’t have before,” said Bill Van Orsdel of BookFuel. “There are stories out there that deserve to be told and shared, and we’re helping authors do that with the involvement of the people in their lives who most want to help make that happen.”

Authors can choose to run crowdfunding campaigns through sites such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo. But book projects will only be featured separate publishing and writing sections that are listed with a plethora of other categories. This makes it more difficult for writing projects to stand out. These other crowdfunding sources also don’t provide the social media exposure or reward fulfillment services that FundMyBook.com offers aspiring authors.

BookFuel experts can guide and assist authors through every step of the self-publishing process. Their goal is to help you maintain complete control of the process and the ownership of your work. BookFuel services include copy-editing, proofreading, substantive editing, print layout, cover design, illustrations, e-book conversions, marketing, and arrangements for worldwide distribution.

BookFuel offers a Boost Publishing package that can be paid for through a monthly installment plan.

Expert Contends 3D Printing Will Rock the World

3DPrintingBook-Hornick3D printing is poised to revolutionize manufacturing and product design just as on-demand television has revolutionized the media industry.

In his new book, “3D Printing Will Rock the World,” intellectual property lawyer John Hornick explains why manufacturing on-demand is right around the corner. He believes the 3D printer may be the most powerful machine ever invented, and is on track to radically transform the planet.

“With the industrial revolution, people became buyers, not makers,” says Hornick. “But we are makers at heart. 3D printers enable us to become makers again. 3D printing will enable designers to create products that never existed before, revolutionize products, and democratize manufacturing.

The book discusses existing printing technology and ongoing materials research. It also provides dozens of real-life examples of how the technology will affect industries and consumers. Hornick believes 3D printing is already transforming our world in ways we never thought possible, creating artificial limbs, human tissue, and possibly human hearts.

In the book he explains:

  • how 3D printing will revolutionize product design, blurring the lines between manufacturing and customers
  • why companies will be forced to adapt their business models
  • how 3D printing may make the concept of a “genuine” product meaningless
  • the dark side of 3D printing, including its interplay with laws, crime, and national security

Ultimately Hornick concludes that mass production could be replaced by production by the masses, merging science and nature to create products that look more like they were grown than built.

3D printing will reinvent design because product designs will no longer need to be broken into multiple parts because of manufacturing constraints. As an example, the book notes that “Traditional manufacturing makes us use quarter-inch drills to bore quarter-inch holes, and designers and engineers design products accordingly. In a 3D-printing-enabled world, such constraints no longer exist. Designers simply specify a hole’s location; no tool is needed to drill it.”

“Designers can immerse themselves in the creative process because they can 3D print prototypes immediately,” explains Hornick. “The monotony of mass-produced designs can be replaced with mass-customized and mass-personalized designs.”

“As you read this book, think about the implications of 3D printing for your life, your job, your company, your country, and the world,” says Hornick. “Think about things you may never have dreamed of. Think outside the box.”

About the Author

John Hornick has more than 30 years of experience as a counselor and litigator at the Finnegan IP law firm, one of the largest IP firms in the world. As the founder of Finnegan’s 3D Printing Working Group, Hornick frequently speaks and writes on 3D printing. As the only IP attorney selected by the U.S. Comptroller General Forum on Additive Manufacturing, he is also a juror for the International Additive Manufacturing Award.